DE-A 197 48 481 has disclosed a microreactor which is suitable in particular for performing heterogeneous gas-phase reactions. The microreactor comprises an elongate housing with two gas inlets, which are arranged opposite each other in the housing side walls. The gas inlets each open into a feed chamber, which is arranged on both sides of a guide component. The guide component comprises foils of at least two types A and B which are provided with grooves and which, when they are arranged one above another in a layer, each form a family of channels which deflect the gases flowing into the guide component on both sides of the gas inlet openings through 90° to a mixing chamber which adjoins the guide component, where the two gases supplied can be mixed. The mixing chamber is followed by a reaction section, which likewise comprises plate-like elements provided with grooves and arranged one above another in layers and connects the mixing chamber to an outlet chamber provided behind the reaction section. The grooves or channels in the reaction section are coated with a catalyst material or consist of such a material. Behind the outlet chamber, the housing of the microreactor has an outlet opening, through which the product gas is led out. The plate-like elements of the guide component and of the reaction section may be replaced by being removed individually from the housing and replaced by other elements. In order to prevent movement of the plate-like elements in the longitudinal direction of the housing or sideways, and therefore to prevent the gases flowing through flowing past the stacks of plate-like elements, the housing interior is matched exactly to the dimensions of the plate-like elements. The substantially rectangular interior of the housing has recesses which broaden the interior at the points where the plate-like elements are inserted. Length and width of the recesses in the housing interior are dimensioned such that they accommodate the plate-like elements exactly. The housing is therefore designed for accurately fitting insertion with regard to length and width of the plate-like elements.
One disadvantage of this known microreactor consists in the fact that only plate-like elements whose length and width correspond exactly to the recesses provided in the housing can be inserted into the housing. Furthermore, no more or fewer stacks of plate-like elements can be inserted into such a housing than is predefined by the housing configuration. A further disadvantage of this known microreactor consists in the fact that the plate-like elements often expand and distort during operation. Since the expansion is limited by the housing wall and the recesses provided therein, first of all the plate-like elements buckle under the pressure of the expansion, and therefore a gas-impermeable seal between the individual elements is no longer guaranteed. Furthermore, the plate-like elements press into the housing wall or jam and can subsequently no longer be removed from the housing, or only with a great deal of trouble.
It was therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art and to provide a variable, simple to handle microreaction system.